Clarity behind Kanko’s omission

There has been some confusion over Kankowski’s omission from the Springbok squad of 30 players for the Castle Rugby Championship kicking off in Cape Town on the 18th of August.

Kankowski, who has been in brilliant form over the last month in Super Rugby, was widely tipped to be a certainty in Meyer’s group of 30 players given the injury to Duane Vermeulen and the poor form of Pierre Spies. However when Meyer announced his 30-man squad on Saturday, Kankowski’s name was absent.

Following a successful recall to the Springbok team during the England series and playing the rugby of his life at the Sharks, Kankowski was full of hope to form part of the Springbok squad to play in the Rugby Championship.

Speaking to Sportlive.co.za two weeks ago Kankowski said that he was fortunate that Heyneke gave him a chance to train with the Boks even though he’d been injured for so long.

“It always helps when a coach says he’s going to back you. He said that the door was open to show him what I could do.”

“Who knows? The Boks selectors can still select you if you’re that side [in Japan], so it’s not like I’m not going to be involved at all,” said Kankowski.

Asked on the omission of the Sharks 8th man, Meyer told Rugby365 that Kankowski’s decision to sign with the Japanese club, Toyota Verblitz, ultimately ruled him out.

“It is a tricky situation,” Meyer said in Worcester at the weekend, where he revealed the names of the 30 players that on Monday would start preparation for the opening round of the competition.

“We definitely looked at Ryan [Kankowski], I think he is probably playing the best rugby of his life.

“He was definitely considered and we spoke to Ryan as well, but it is quite difficult now for him to be selected and he is not being considered for this Test series.

“We spoke with him this [Saturday] morning and we will remain in contact – hopefully he will be available going forward.”

RuggaWorld has established that an IRB ruling could force the Japanese club to release Kankowski for Springbok duty since the Rugby Championship falls under the designated IRB test window, which suggests that the only reasons not to select him for the Springboks would have been for monetary issues, or the coach’s personal feelings in selecting foreign based players.

Since Kankowski is contracted to the Japanese club the Springbok management would have to pay for medical and injury insurance if they force the club to release the player for international duty whilst under contract with them. This insurance is tied to his actual contract with the club and his earnings which could run into tens of thousands of Rands.

It is also important to note that Kanko’s contract with the club is only for 6 months where he will be back for Super Rugby next year and the deal was signed before his recall to the Boks in June.

What do you think, is Kanko worth the money we would have to fork out given Spies’ current form and the fact that Vermeulen is probably a month away from full fitness required for test rugby?

Kankowski is a hard bugger given he walked away from that foul Tameifuna swinging arm as if nothing had happened. He has been the form #8 this year and I agree with you this
“suggests that the only reasons not to select him for the Springboks would have been for monetary issues, or the coach’s personal feelings in selecting foreign based players.”

DavidS is always going on about how healthy the Springbok war chest is so it can’t be money – or did those payouts to the Bulls deplete it?

The All Blacks have in the past punished their players for joining the foreign legion worse than the Boks. I have been impressed how the Boks management have continued to select talented guys like Frans Steyn and Riaan Pienaar putting national interests first before rather naive punishing of players for pursuing $’s overseas. It seemed they recognised the inevitable rather than dishing out punishment but is the coach now backtracking?

Heyneke approached Fourie whilst contracted to a Japanese club (and will be under contract with them until 2013). Special dispensation would have been made. Player decided he did not want to, for whatever reason.

Kanko, contracted to Japanese club, not selected on the basis of that. End of story.

Better yet, compare it with Pienaar and Ulster where he has a contract until 2014.

Bok management goes out of their way to bring players in from overseas in certain instances, others are ignored.

Spot the difference Einstein.

The FDP issue – player’s decision.

Kanko issue – coach’s decision.

And I would be careful in claiming others are sucking any type of shit if you cannot even get your facts right on contract periods of players in question.

On de udder hand:
Why will HM change a style and game plan
that was good enough for the final of
the WC 2012 – if it was not for a totally
incompetent referee?
Too much pressure on a coach to deviate
from the known style.

The way I see it is that it is up to the coach to decide how vital a overseas player is to the Boks immediate success.

Fourie du Preez and Ruan Pienaar is better than the local scrumhalves we have at our disposal at the moment (especially for the territorial game plan). Ryan Kankowski is not. There is enough loose forwards who can cover nr 8, and Kanko is one of the most inconstant players in Sa. He has never performed well agains Nz and Aus and is not an incumbent Bok. It makes no sense to go through all the trouble for a mere squad player

And correctly HM saw that with no real standout in the opening part of the season he needed to look for a guy who was best in his position (FDP is) and could be a leader (not so sure but HM knows him best).

At the opening part of the season some were saying JDiv was NOT the best 12 in the country… hell based on the England tests one has to agree that Frans is better, but who knows.

Now as usual because selections do not suit the suurgat Cape Brigade they whinge and whine and moan.

And as Morne on twitter in vent kak that suits them stirring the kak they talk up just a bit more.

I stand by what I said

You fucking WP supporters are all the same.

You have cut this coach ZERO slack…

Not one centimeter.

If we win 4N and draw one match you’ll demand he be fired because we failed to win that match. And he could have… if he had played more WP players…

And by the way, Heyneke does not need you or anyone to fight his battles for him.

When there is inconsistency in policy like there clearly is in this instance there is nothing from stopping anyone to ask why. And that is what I did.

Yours and others claims to know who Meyer rates and does not rate means as much as my speculation on the same subject.

Given the praise he has given Kankowski in the last week and not seeing his name in the squad where the reasons behind it was given as his contract with a Japanese club it is not only logical but very pertinent to question why taking into consideration dispensations made for other players.

Also given the fact that Spies is in poor form, Vermeulen who he rates is still out injured this issue becomes even more relevant.

If you cannot handle the difficult questions when it comes to player selections and the motivations behind it, find another hobby.

There is no problem with the ‘Cape Media’ – the problem is people like you who carry a perception that there is.

ETZEBETH
Springbok rugby team doctor Craig Roberts believes lock Eben Etzebeth should be fit enough to be considered for selection to face Argentina in the first Test of The Rugby Championship in Cape Town next Saturday.